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Expert Tips

If you're on the beach, start your morning on Ocean Drive. Breakfast specials are affordable at most hotel restaurants, but skip the overpriced juice ($7-15 a glass, even without booze) and stick to water.

Discover Miami's Quintessential Dining Scene At These 10 Best Restaurants

Miami's unique cultural diversity is clearly reflected in the array of culinary creations that dot the Magic City. Yes, perhaps the melting pot metaphors have been used enough, but then again how else would you describe a town where you're just as likely to discover a Korean-Peruvian-Cuban tapas joint hidden in the suburbs, a popular 24-hour fritanga, a fine dining establishment whose main attraction is the dim sum, and enough burger and craft beer joints to make your head spin?

Ideas thrive in our tropical climate. Chefs thrive here, too. In fact, many of them flock here from colder regions where they've made a name for themselves and now simply want to provide quality food without the need of a snow shovel for half of the year.

The flavors found in South Florida are something we locals are all proud of. And in recent years, the cuisine that has been permeating every neighborhood in town, via restaurant, pop-up, diner, or food truck has simply increased in quality. Vegan and vegetarian dining, for example, has started to pick up with places like Plant Food + Wine picking up steam. Local and seasonal ingredients...a more conscious way to eat, is also becoming popular among restaurants like Whisk. There are James Beard Award winners on here as well as places where you can get a huge meal you can eat outdoors for just $10. Basically, this list is as diverse as the city, and we like it like that.

West Kendall has long hungered for a restaurant that caters to refined palates and a thirst for craft beer. Fortunately, now there is Finka, an unbelievable gastropub and tapas joint that fuses Peruvian, Korean, and Cuban cuisine into something that is altogether beautiful. You can begin your culinary escapade at Finka with the tartare of the day, some kimchee and potato wedges, or the black bean hummus for the herbivores in the bunch. From there, order yourself a lomo saltado fried rice, korean 'japchae' noodles, Cuban bibimbap, or a churrasco flatbread. Wash it down with their fine selection of craft beers on draft (because why settle for bottled) or hand-crafted cocktails.

West Kendall has long hungered for a restaurant that caters to refined palates and a thirst for craft beer. Fortunately, now there is Finka, an unbelievable gastropub and tapas joint that fuses Peruvian, Korean, and Cuban cuisine into something... Read More

Encased in the Wynwood Walls, a grassy art park featuring 20-foot murals and collages, you'll find the painfully hip Wynwood Kitchen & Bar. Hosting pieces inside and out by world-renowned graffiti artists, this restaurant is lovingly hipster chic, yet shockingly homey. The menu is simplistic in description, offering everyday items like braised short rib, pan-seared snapper and pork tenderloin. There are no adjectives, nothing is described as succulent, decadent or even moist and tender. But what the menu lacks in poetics, it makes up for with some of the most complex tastes and just genuinely delicious dishes, expertly prepared and beautifully presented.

Open since 1913, Joe's Stone Crab is a legend in Miami. In fact, they say you haven't truly visited South Florida until you've been to Joe's. Stick out the typical two-hour wait, and you'll be amply rewarded with some of the best stone crab known to man, mouthwatering sides like hash browns and creamed spinach and phenomenal Key Lime Pie.
Another thing Joe's is known for is impeccable service. It's rumored that servers here own their own sections, making the opportunity coveted, as evidenced by the extreme attention to detail and general welcoming nature of the staff. Joe's is open full hours during stone crab season (October to May).

Open since 1913, Joe's Stone Crab is a legend in Miami. In fact, they say you haven't truly visited South Florida until you've been to Joe's. Stick out the typical two-hour wait, and you'll be amply rewarded with some of the best stone crab... Read More

Whisk is the type of place that keeps its patrons on their toes. Start your meal with the Pulled Pork Sliders (with honey cider slaw, mustard bbq sauce, and house pickles) or the Chicken' Biscuit (fried boneless thigh on a bacon-buttermilk... Read More

If you've spent more than a few days in Miami, someone at some point has recommended CVI.CHE 105. It's the kind of restaurant that came up on the scene long before everyone became ceviche crazed, and has long held its position since. More than fifteen years ago, Juan Chipoco & Luis Hoyos came to the United States from their different natal countries with many hopes and dreams of success as many immigrants. First opened in 2007, the restaurant went under a total overhaul in 2009 into a Peruvian restaurant and has experienced tons of success as a result. Juan and Luis now operate one of the most successful South American restaurants in Miami and have arguably the best Peruvian cuisine anywhere on the east coast.

If you've spent more than a few days in Miami, someone at some point has recommended CVI.CHE 105. It's the kind of restaurant that came up on the scene long before everyone became ceviche crazed, and has long held its position since. More than... Read More

The Art Deco facade of Prime One Twelve's Exterior is sharply juxtaposed by the sleek, black, vinyl-lined booths and supremely modern interior decor. One of Miami's most upscale steakhouses, Prime blends impeccable service with piquant dashes that are pleasing to both the eye and palate. The menu is a smorgasbord of reconstructed classics like deviled eggs with white truffle and caviar, a Kobe meatball hero and even fried chicken & waffles. Dry-aged prime beef arrives sizzling, cooked to your specifications, and topped with a choice of butters or sauces. "Accessories" are sublime: truffled mac and cheese, sauteed forest mushrooms, or even rum-baked sweet plantains. Desserts, too, get stylish attention; apple pie is topped with candied walnut streusel, while chocolate pudding cake flaunts Amarene cherries and a dollop of sweet cream.

The Art Deco facade of Prime One Twelve's Exterior is sharply juxtaposed by the sleek, black, vinyl-lined booths and supremely modern interior decor. One of Miami's most upscale steakhouses, Prime blends impeccable service with piquant dashes... Read More

Makoto is one of the top Asian restaurants in the area, located in the ritzy Bal Harbour Shops. This modern Japanese spot is the dream-child of James Beard semifinalist Stephen Starr and Iron Chef competitor Makoto Okuwa. Chef Okuwa has over twenty years of experience and was once head chef at Morimoto New York and Philadelphia. You'll find plenty to write home about at Makoto's, including traditional and contemporary Japanese flavors enjoyed in a chic-yet-casual ambiance. Opt to dine in the elegant, wood-heavy dining room or enjoy sitting in the lush, green outdoor patio area. You can also grab a quick cocktail at the lively bar.

Makoto is one of the top Asian restaurants in the area, located in the ritzy Bal Harbour Shops. This modern Japanese spot is the dream-child of James Beard semifinalist Stephen Starr and Iron Chef competitor Makoto Okuwa. Chef Okuwa has over... Read More

Well-known plant-based Chef Matthew Kenney has just brought his latest venture to Miami's Wynwood neighborhood and it's already taking off with vegans and omnis alike. Still fairly new, Plant Food + Wine only serves fresh, all vegan, gourmet cuisine, with a menu that emphasizes local, organic, and seasonal produce. You'll find original and flavorful sounding small plates like watermelon poke, and must-try entrees like their coconut ceviche tacos, plus an array of nut-based artisanal cheeses, and delectable desserts like the starfruit tart and their vegan banana split. A chef's tasting is also available at $65 per guest for a 5-course feast, as well as a weekday happy hour special at their bar, where you can imbibe on their Sacred Cocktail (rain vodka, watermelon, mint, lime, maple, and prosecco) and bite into some bahn mi lettuce wraps or beet and avocado tartar.

Well-known plant-based Chef Matthew Kenney has just brought his latest venture to Miami's Wynwood neighborhood and it's already taking off with vegans and omnis alike. Still fairly new, Plant Food + Wine only serves fresh, all vegan, gourmet... Read More

La Mar by Gaston Acurio made the Mandarin Oriental its home in 2014, dazzling patrons with passionately prepared Peruvian food by their namesake global icon. A table on La Mar's deck frames Brickell's concrete landscape, its soothing bay waters reflecting the city's rising towers. The al fresco decor is minimal, with only a handful of over-sized umbrellas acting as sun shields. La Mar's serenity seeps inside as well; an open ceviche bar and vertical garden line the far walls, while teal chairs carry the eye to the bayside windows. Enjoy Peruvian-style sushi, lomo saltado, chaufa, tiraditos, and other Latin American favorites with a view that can't be beat.

La Mar by Gaston Acurio made the Mandarin Oriental its home in 2014, dazzling patrons with passionately prepared Peruvian food by their namesake global icon. A table on La Mar's deck frames Brickell's concrete landscape, its soothing bay waters... Read More

Since opening in 1977, El Palacio De Los Jugos has embodied Latin American Miami in its most authentic form. It's not fancy, doesn't have a dress code, and everyone is welcome--so long as they enjoy delicious food and won't ask for a copy of their "nutrition facts".
The name of this popular eatery translates to "the juice palace" as it serves freshly made, exotic juices in mass volumes. El Palacio also cooks down-home Latin fare; generous, juicy pork sandwiches and classic Cuban rice and bean variations fill the outdoor air with enticing aromas. After ordering, purchase tropical produce or sip cooling coconut water, chopped on-site by a man with his machete.

Since opening in 1977, El Palacio De Los Jugos has embodied Latin American Miami in its most authentic form. It's not fancy, doesn't have a dress code, and everyone is welcome--so long as they enjoy delicious food and won't ask for a copy of... Read More